Many bodily injuries, such as sprains, fractures, strains, dislocations, hyperextensions and contusions, are painful and cause substantial discomfort to the injured party due to tissue damage and the resulting hemorrhaging of blood beneath the skin, which in turn causes substantial swelling. Swelling causes the injury to be more painful and disabling and reduces the range of motion of the injured body part. Electrical stimulation treatment is usually the preferred treatment method of reducing the pain and swelling associated with the previously discussed types of injuries.
Electrical stimulation treatment typically comprises the placing of a conducting gel on the injured body part of the site of the injury and the placement of a carbon electrode into contact with the conducting gel so that an electrical current from a voltage stimulator can be applied to the site of the injury. Typically, it is also desirable to also apply cooling to the site of the injury during the electrical stimulation treatment to help reduce swelling.
Accordingly, the present invention relates to an improved electrical stimulation treatment device and method of using this device for treatment of injuries of the above type by electrical stimulation. More specifically, the present invention relates to an improved flexible electrode which can be quickly and easily wrapped around an injured portion of the body to enable the application of direct electrical stimulation treatment thereto. This improved electrode not only permits the direct application of electrical stimulation treatment to the injured body part, it also provides proper compression on and around the injured body portion and permits the cooling of the injured body portion due to both refrigeration and evaporation. This improved electrode also adheres to itself so that it can easily be wrapped around the injured body portion and will securely stay in position without requiring other wraps, ties or fasteners, so that the injured person thus has substantial freedom of movement and may be able to exercise the injured body portion during the electrical stimulation treatment. At the same time, the electrode has substantially total skin contact with a large area of the injured body portion which enables the maximum delivery of electrical stimulation treatment and the maximization of the compression and cooling effects.
Additionally, the improved electrode is clean and nontoxic, and does not stick or adhere to the skin so that the electrode can be easily removed from the injured body portion without causing discomfort or requiring any subsequent cleaning of the skin. The electrode is packagable in a small and compact form because it can be spirally rolled for storage. Additionally, it can be stored in a refrigerator to increase the cooling properties thereof when subsequently applied, it can be readily reused and is low in cost.
The improved electrode of the inventive electrical stimulation treatment device comprises an elongated strip of gel-impregnated material which is self-supporting and self-adhering with the width, thickness and length of the strip being variable according to the injury and the body portion to which the electrode is applied. However, the length of the electrode is selected so as to permit it to be wrapped several times around the injured body area, such as around an ankle, elbow, knee or wrist. The electrode, when applied, is wrapped several times around the injured area so that the various convolutions of the electrode overlap and hence adhere to one another so that the electrode will remain in a wrapped condition without requiring additional clips or ties. The gel-like material of the electrode does not adhere or stick to the skin, but is capable of substantially total surface-to-surface, non-adhering contact with the skin to provide the desired delivery of electrical current, cooling and compression thereto. A gel-like material permits the cooling of the injured body area by evaporation, and the cooling of the injured body area is preferably further assisted by cooling the electrode in a refrigerator prior to its application to the injured body area. The gel-like material of the electrode preferably is formed by gelling a polyvinyl alcohol solution formed from approximately 6 parts or more of polyvinyl alcohol per 100 parts of water. A sheet or strip of a thin, nonwoven polyester fabric is dipped in the polyvinyl alcohol solution, and thereafter dipped in a reactive gelling agent solution, such as an aqueous borax solution, to form a gel. The polyvinyl alcohol gel also preferably has another ingredient, such as glycerin, incorporated therein so as to make the resulting gel material more pressure-sensitive at lower temperatures, such as at refrigeration temperatures, for example, about 1.degree. to 5.degree. C. The polyester fabric functions as a central core or carrier for providing the electrode with increased strength and continuity so as to thereby facilitate handling of the electrode and to prevent accidental tearing of the electrode during handling and usage thereof. The electrode is electrically connected to a conventional portable high-voltage stimulator or low-voltage transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulator to form the device of the present invention. Other objects and purposes of the invention will be apparent after reading the following specification and inspecting the accompanying drawings.